Camera Lighting Equipment

Landscape lighting?

We recently purchased our house and some of the outdoor lighting is not working. These lights focus on trees in our yard. There are missing lights in some of them. Can we just replace the bulb in the shell of the current system? Anything we need to be aware of? What are we looking for exactly?

Public Comments

1. If these are wire strung lights, you could start by replacing the bulb. If that doesn't work, there might be a bare wire someplace or your transformer could be bad. If these are solar, you should start by replacing the batteries.
2. Replace the non-working bulbs first. That will help you figure out if you have wiring problems. If the bulb doesn't do the trick then open up the body of it to see if the wiring is still attached. Good luck!
3. 1) Outdoor lighting fixtures, like indoor lighting fixtures are rated for a maximum wattage. Determine the maximum wattage of your fixtures and do not exceed this wattage when replacing bulbs. 2) Determine the fixtures on each outdoor circuit. 3) Determine the operating voltage of each of your outdoor lighting circuits. Some outdoor lighting transformers support multiple votage taps. This allows a designer to use voltages from 12 - 24 volts (in a National Electrical Code defined low voltage system). A transformer that conforms to the UL 1858 standard will be limited to 12 - 15 volt taps. 4) Determine the wire size of each circuit. 5) Determine the total wattage on each circuit with the intended replacement bulbs. If this wattage exceeds 180 watts on a 12 volt circuit, you will have to use lower wattage replacement bulbs. Circuits at higher voltages will have different maximum wattage capacities. Just remember that the National Elecrical Codes specifies a maximum of 15 amps for 12/2 copper wiring. Adust the maximum amperage used for your calculations if the wiring is something other than 12/2. Remember that there is enough current in a low voltage lighting system to melt the insulation off your wiring and potentially cause a fire. Please do not overload circuits. 6) Now that you know the wattage that you will need for a replacement bulb, determine the bulb type needed for each fixture. There are several bulb styles (Par36, MR16, T3, etc.) used in outdoor lighting fixtures. Look at the fixture's socket to determine this. If you can not tell, look at another fixture to see what bulb type has been used. 7) For each bulb type and wattage rating, there are different light patterns available (flood, spot, narrow spot, etc.). Now determine the light pattern you need for each replacement bulb. 8) Halogen bulbs operate in a narrow voltage range (10.8 - 12.5 volts). Operating a halogen bulb outside of this range negatively affects the light output & shortens its life. When just one bulb burns out in an outdoor lighting system, all the bulbs on that circuit can be over voltaged compromising their longevity. For this reason, it is suggested that you replace all bulbs on the same circuit at the same time. 9) Body oils can negatively affect the longevity of halogen bulbs. Use latex gloves when handling bulbs. 10) Moisture is the enemy of outdoor lighting systems. Lubricate the bulb contacts with a good eletrical conducting dielectric grease before replacing any bulb. 11) Replace the bulbs in your circuit. 12) Now measure the operating voltage at each bulb to insure that they are operationg at the proper voltage range. 13) Measure the current on each circuit to insure that you have not exceeded the safe and recommended current limits. 14) Measure the current at the primary side of the transformer to insure that the total load on the transformer has not exceeded the manufacture's limit. 15) Step back and enjoy the beauty of your working outdoor lighting system. It's just that simple! Or you could call a professional outdoor lighting specialist. Good luck.